Merry Christmas, Bones
by Eviaded
Summary: The Christmas kiss makes Booth question his line and his partner, but does she feel the same? With Angela's help he hopes to find out and show Temperance how great their first kiss should be.
1. The Kiss

This is my first fanfic and it's now complete. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

There are 8 chapters in this entry but the story itself has 9 chapters. In between chapters 7 and 8 there is an interlude I put into a separate entry due to a content shift. **If you want to read the extra chapter it falls between chapters 7 and 8 and it's in a separate entry on this site titled "Merry Christmas, Booth". It's M rated.**

* * *

"Merry Christmas, Bones"

He let the longing show nakedly on his face, thankful for the expanse between them. Those moments where he could let himself _feel _for her, let it course through him, were rare and he savored it. He tried to pick out her features from afar; searching for her eyes, wishing he could read her thoughts at that moment through those beautiful blue...

He pulled himself out of his thoughts, realizing Parker was trying to climb up to investigate the battery connection for the tree. "C'mon buddy. Lets put this in the truck and go home."

* * *

Parker played contentedly with his presents on the floor while Seeley laid back on the couch and let his thoughts wander. It didn't take long for them to wander to her.

Did they ever lead to anything else?

_The kiss._

It hasn't been a particularly passionate kiss. He had been dreaming of such a moment for awhile.

_I wouldn't have done it that way._

He had fantasized about kissing her_ and so much more_ for so long now. But he had a _line_...

_Damn line._

That _kiss _messed with that line. He could still smell her hair, could still feel her lips on his, could still feel the rush surging through him as she grabbed his collar and pulled him close. He had chewed that gum for hours.

He didn't even like gum.

Sleep was _not _going to come easily tonight. Resolved to that fact he forced her out of his mind and turned to Parker, intent on enjoying the time until he had to take his son to Vermont.

* * *

On the way home from Vermont his mind returned to Temperance and to the kiss.

_I wish I could redo it. Do it right._

_Hell._

"Line, Seeley. You have a line. You have a line for a reason...right?"

He was having a hard time remembering why. All he could think about was kissing her again, holding her, bickering with her, protecting her for the rest of their lives...

_Bad idea, Seeley. Very bad idea._

_But oh so good._

"This is pointless. That kiss was just a trade-off for her. A way to get what she wanted. She probably doesn't even...remember it. She said as much to Sweets"

He could read people very well. He knew her well. But he was so unsure of what she thought, and especially felt, about him. He knew she enjoyed being his partner. She loved the cases, loved the intellectual sparring and debates. But was that all? He even thought she would probably miss him if their professional partnership ended. They'd 'have coffee', or so she'd said...but was that all? His longing clouded his judgment every time he tried to figure her out beyond this. She kept him on edge and off-balance. He both reveled in it and cursed it.

_I wish I knew._

_It wouldn't hurt to just _find out_, would it? Just finding out isn't _acting _on anything. it's not crossing that damn line._

"Angela..." He picked up his phone and dialed, no idea how to broach this. He chuckled. Like it matters, Angela will be giddy with this.


	2. Conversation with Angela

This is my first fanfic. 5 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

As the phone rang for the 3rd time and his impatience grew he suddenly realized his mistake. He was so intent on discovering the truth he had just called the one person who was sure to be completely unable to hold in his own revelations - the one person who would run screaming to Bones the instant she could. He started to close the phone when suddenly a breathless Angela answered. Dammit.

"Angela" she breathily announced.

"Hey, Angela...it's Booth. If you're busy it's fine I can call back"

"Booth? No, it's fine. Besides you never call me. It must be hot!"

"Um, well...I..."

"Spit it out Booth, you interrupted something good. It better be worth it."

He sighed, unable to think of a cover for his call. "Can you meet me at the diner? I need to talk to you. Please don't tell anyone, especially Bones."

"Oh, wow. This _is _hot! Meet you at 7."

* * *

Seeley sat there swirling the coffee round and round the cup. Unable to concentrate all afternoon he'd driven around aimlessly and arrived at the diner more than 1/2 an hour before Angela. His heart felt heavy with assurance he was making a huge mistake but he felt completely powerless to stop this path. She often had that effect on him. With her he felt at once both completely sure of himself and ready to take on the world and also as vulnerable as a child. He only let her see the first but the rest was becoming too hard to hide.

Song lyrics turned over and over in his mind. He'd just heard this song today, while flipping stations. It clicked perfectly this situation and was aptly titled 'Why don't you kiss her'. He laughed. That we did! But...not right. Not how I want to kiss her. Not what I want to show her, give her, with a kiss.

_We're the best of friends  
And we share our secrets  
She knows everything that is on my mind  
Lately somethings changed  
As I lie awake in my bed  
A voice here inside my head  
Softly says_

_Why don't you kiss her  
Why don't you tell her  
Why don't you let her see  
The feelings that you hide  
'Cause she'll never know  
If you never show  
The way you feel inside_

_Oh I'm so afraid to make that first move  
Just a touch and we  
Could cross the line  
Every time she's near  
I wanna never let her go  
Confess to her what my heart knows  
Hold her close_

_What would you say  
I wonder would she just turn away  
Or would she promise me  
That she's here to stay  
It hurts me to wait  
I keep asking myself_

_Why don't you kiss her?_

After the DJ announced the artist he'd ducked into a record store to buy the CD. He hated this kind of music but this song summed him up perfectly. He had played it a lot the rest of the afternoon. It did _not _help! It did however solidify his resolve. He was an FBI agent dammit. He was tired of feeling so weak and scared when it came to Bones. His line was there to protect both his heart and his judgment. Both were beyond compromised, lost in those bright blue eyes...

At that moment Angela arrived, alone.

"Did you tell anyone you were coming to meet me?"

"No, I told Jack I was going to the Lincoln Memorial to people watch and draw. He finds that mind numbingly boring so, no complaints there. Brennan was completely absorbed in a fractured ribcage and Zack is...Zack. I have no other friends," she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, well...umm. I need advice. And if you tell anyone what I'm about to tell you I'll...I'll shoot Hodgins, or Zack, or both. Just...don't tell anyone, okay?"

"This is going to be h..."

"Don't. Don't say 'hot'".

"Spit it out, Booth. Those beautiful muscles are about to burst your shirt you are so tense."

"I need advice. I need advice about Bones. You know we kissed, right? Well it wasn't right. It was all wrong, Angela. It was..."

"Booth if you called me down here to reiterate your BS about professional relationships I swear I will go back and tell the whole office you had a threesome with Cullen and Zack. I have to get _some_ fun out of this if you aren't..."

"No, no. That's not it. You don't get it. I mean...that's not how...I wanted it to happen. I want...to redo it. I want to do it right. This is what you can't tell anyone. Angela...I'm crazy about Bones. I've been hiding it for a very long time but I'm tired of hiding it. But I don't know if she feels the same, that's why I called you. I can't keep up this pretending any longer. It drove me insane when she was with Sully. Hell she drives me insane every day. And every night. That's why I need your help. I need to know if she feels the same, and if so...some advice on how to proceed without getting my ass kicked would be great."


	3. Planning

This is my first fanfic. 5 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

Angela whistled through her teeth, loving what she was hearing. The FBI stud-muffin looked so worried and cute. She could barely contain her excitement at what this all meant. She reordered her features into something less over-the-moon excited as she answered him. "Booth, are you sure about this? You guys have been dancing around each other for 3 years. What's changed now?"

"Nothing has changed, Angela, other than the fact I'm tired of pushing her aside. I'm afraid that I'll push her aside so much I'll lose her. I'm tired of holding on to this, tired of holding it in. It would sure as hell be a lot nicer to be holding her."

"Alright, I'll help you."

"Help me? You still haven't answered my question. Does she...or doesn't she...feel the same about me?"

"Booth, honey, that's not for me to tell you. You need to find out from her. Just go with it. What I'm going to do is help you find out!" _Even though I know the answer._ She smiled. "Love isn't ever a sure thing. Going in with all the cards ruins the fun. Where's the suspense, where's the chase? Besides, I can't let you know everything and come at Brennan, who knows nothing. I'll help, but I'm not giving you that much!"

_He should have hung up on her earlier. He could get this far on his own. He felt really exposed, with no purpose._

"'So, how are you going to help me then?"

* * *

He hoisted the chair, sighing to himself, still not sure he trusted Angela. He was sure any moment a fiery Temperance Brennan was going to come storming into her office and kick his ass for telling Angela and not her. And then kick it again when she realized what he was doing.

It was really his idea. Angela had helped him, but not how he planned. He and Bones still had not exchanged gifts. She assumed the tree was his, and it was, but it wasn't enough. And she continually forgot to bring him his. Angela had helped him come up with something more permanent. It was currently leaned up against the wall in his living room, awaiting the result of _his _part of the plan.

The mistletoe spun in the air as he removed it from her office ceiling and put it into his waiting gym bag. He moved the chair back and picked up his cell. "Bones, hey it's Booth. I'm in your office and it's time bring me my gift!"

He moved outside and waited for her. He _hated _how sweaty his palms were.

Seeley watched her coming down the hallway. Temperance hadn't noticed him yet and he watched her, mesmerized by her walk and the way she was so absorbed in the discussion with Angela that she nearly tripped over an ill-placed cart. She raised her hand to brush back her hair and he caught a wink of a simple diamond stud in her ear. As her hand fell she noticed him and broke into a big smile. He gave her a big cheesy smile back to mask his thoughts and pulled the door more tightly closed behind him. Angela smiled brightly at him over Temperance's shoulder and winked at him as she turned to walk away.

"Hey, Booth. Why are you out here?"

"Change of plans, dinner, lets go"

"Oh, okay. Your gift is at my apartment."

"It's okay, we'll pick it up on the way. Dinner time, I'm starving." He picked up the bag and ushered her out the door, his hand lightly on the small of her back.

"Where are we going?"

"My place, Bones, my place. We'll stop by yours on the way but make it snappy. Oven should be dinging in 45 minutes." He was highly doubtful of his ability to eat anything. His stomach was a nervous, bottomless pit. He pushed the thoughts aside, determined to do this right. He was about to risk his friendship, his professional partnership, and his heart on this evening and he could not take the time to consider the stomach churning risks.


	4. Dinner and a Dance

This is my first fanfic. 5 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

He could not possibly fathom what she could have bought him that would fit in such a tiny box. He thought it would be something heavy, or at least big, but the shiny red paper from that impossibly small box continued to wink at him from the coffee table. It matched her red dress - the same red dress she had worn the day she kissed him. How ironic. Or was it? He looked for hidden meanings, nuances, in everything she did. He hoped she wore it for the same reason he loved seeing her in it. She had dressed it up differently - no belt and with tight jeans instead of tights and boots. He didn't care. She looked great either way and that dress just reminded him all the more of that kiss that taunted him.

They sat on the couch while dinner cooked, inane chatter filling the charged air. She knew something was different but couldn't figure it out. Booth was tense and the air was electric. He looked good, just very distracted and intense. He hadn't even risen to her barbs.

"Dinner smell great, what are we having?"

"Well, Bones. We were supposed to have a casserole but you took so long in your apartment it burned. So plan B, some good ole' spaghetti - baked spaghetti. Half of it is even meat-free, just for you," stopping her budding protests cold. He winked at her and she smiled. "Should be done any time now." Prophetically, the timer dinged and they moved as one to the kitchen. He finished the preparations, humming his new favorite song, and pulled out the salad while she set the table.

"What is that song? You've been humming it all evening."

"Oh, well, that's just a song I heard on the radio yesterday. I can't get it out of my head; I even bought the CD. I'll let you listen to it in a bit. Might as well torture you with it too!" He said slyly, giving her turned back a longing, intense look. His playful voice betrayed nothing of the suddenly tight chest and clenched muscles reminding him of his desire to do exactly what the song taunted.

_Why don't you kiss her?_

He hoped he soon could. But if he thought of that right now he would never get through dinner and say what he wanted to say first. He smiled to himself at the thought of the mistletoe laying behind the couch next to her gift. Her gift. Suddenly he worried she would hate it, that she would think it cheesy and trite. He wanted her to love it and hoped she would when she understood what he meant with it.

They ate for awhile in silence and finished the meal before he worked up the nerve to speak. "Bones...I..." He searched for the words but realized none fit. He would have to do what he does best - show her. He pulled her to her feet and over to the stereo. This was another thing Angela had helped him with, squealing as he outlined the idea to her. She and her squint friends had taken the song and stripped away the voice track, leaving only the melody. It would play through around 2 times before playing with the voice track as well. He hoped 2 times was enough. He would make his move after she heard the lyrics.

"Dance with me...Temperance."

She stopped in her tracks and gazed at him, startled by the use of her first name. But his face was a polite mask and finding nothing telling, she moved to him. He started the music and took one hand in his warm one, putting his other hand at her waist. Her other rested lightly on his shoulder. He began to move her in time with the music, lightly humming the tune. He looked at her without meeting her eyes, and cleared his throat.

"Bones...Tempe...are you having a good time?"

"Yes, Booth. Very enjoyable evening."

"Do you wonder why you're here? Why here and not _out _somewhere?"

"Well, I hadn't thought about it really. You said dinner, I trusted your plans. We're partners trust is what we do. I knew I would have a pleasant, enjoyable evening no matter what you had in planned."

He pulled her so close she could feel the heat of his chest against hers, and the strength of the arm circling her. Her words played around in his head but he didn't have time to think about it.

"Temperance, I...I was thinking about the other day in your office. About...that kiss."

"Booth, don't worry about it. I'm sorry. It wasn't right for me to do that. I just..."

"Temperance, Temp...Bones! Will you shut up for a minute! Let me talk. My turn. You shush, I talk." _Sigh. Romantically dancing to a special song and a bickering moment is brewing. Great job, Seeley!  
_  
"I was upset about that kiss but not for the reasons you think."


	5. Confessions and other Gifts

This is my first fanfic. 5 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

"I was upset about that kiss but not for the reasons you think."

She stopped dead at those words, still in his arms but no longer dancing. _Great, I crossed his line and now I'm going to get a lecture._

"Temperance. Bones! Look at me. I was upset about that kiss because it was not how I wanted to kiss you. I was upset that we had Caroline staring us down. I was upset at how damn _short _it was."

"I don't know what that means, Booth"

He sighed. _Out with it Seeley._ "What I'm trying to say is that I've wanted to kiss you for a very long time and that pansy ass kiss for Caroline in the office is not how I wanted it to happen. It could have been so much better. I hope you don't hate me for this but Bones I'm crazy about you. I don't want to be partners anymore, or at least not just professional ones. I want so much more and that kiss has driven me crazy, babe. It's taunted me with a watered down version of what could be. We could be great. We _are _great, you and me. I know it. What I don't know is if you agree."

He stopped talking and looked at her. She looked utterly dumbfounded and completely incapable of speech. He rushed on, sure she was about to walk out the door, maybe with a parting shot first. Her lack of speech frightened him and forced him on as he heard the lyrics of the song begin to play.

"When I'm around you I feel so many things. I'm proud of your independence and your intellect. I love sparring with you. I'm at peace with you. I know that while we disagree about so many things I can tell you very personal and painful things about myself and my past and you'll accept them without judgment or pity. I'm fiercely protective and willing to take on the world for you. I'd do anything to keep you safe." He pulled her close again and hugged her tightly, allowing the mask to drop while he looked over her shoulder and said the hardest thing. "Temperance Brennan I'm head over heels in love with you and I can't hide it anymore." Before he could think about it he pulled back, closed his eyes and kissed her. He kissed her the way he dreamed of kissing her and felt her melt into him, one hand resting on his chest. She kissed him back with growing passion. Her lips parted in a sigh and he took the chance and darted his tongue inside her hot mouth. She responded as she always does to him - refusing to be cowed - and their tongues sparred and danced. He felt her index finger slide ever sightly inside the open collar of his shirt and pulled her closer, and then broke the kiss. He was suddenly afraid of the passion between them. He didn't want to jump right from partners to sex. Somehow he believed that would trivialize what he felt. And there was the small matter of her not having said a solitary word since he told her to shush.

"Temperance...please say something"

"Boo...Seeley...I...wow. I can't think with you staring at me so intently. I need a minute", she called as she moved away and down the hall to the bathroom. He stared after he for a minute after the door closed then turned off the music and moved to clean up the dishes. He knew she would be in there awhile but every minute made his gut clench tighter, afraid of the imminent and highly logical rejection he would surely soon receive.

He finished the cleanup and began wandering aimlessly around his apartment, straightening a pillow here, a picture there, picking up her gift, putting it down again 3 inches to the right...Lost in his wandering he didn't hear her first call.

"Booth, are you there? Booth! I need you to hand me your present." _She's totally bailing. I knew this was a mistake. But, she kissed me? That part was real. I know she kissed me back._

He snaked his arm around the corner and dropped the package into her hand, fighting the urge to push open the door and confront her. The door clicked shut again and he returned to the living room, sinking into the couch. He ran his hands through his hair and closed his eyes, refusing to open them even when he heard the bathroom door and her soft feet padding down the hallway. _Soft feet._ His eyes jerked open when he realized she must no longer have her shoes on and he watched her intently she came around the couch . She was smiling broadly as she sank in next to him, folding her legs under her and resting her hand on his thigh. Without thinking he raised his arm and she curled up next to him. Her head was tucked in the crook of his arm, just under his chin and directly over his heart. Surely she must feel the pounding muscle about to burst out of his chest.

"Seeley, what about your line?"

"I don't care about my stupid line, Temperance. I made that line as a way to compartmentalize my feelings. But you busted down those walls a long time ago, babe. It was supposed to keep me from loving you, to keep my feelings from affecting our work. But I failed miserably."

"Okay."

"Okay? Bones I need more than that. I've poured out my heart to you and all I get is 'Okay'? "

She raised her head and looked at him, eyes darting to his parted lips. He saw the blush spread across her face and he smiled, planting a quick playful kiss on her nose. They smiled at each other, nervous silence returning.

She shifted her position, squared her shoulders and began choosing her words carefully.

"Seeley Booth, I..."

He felt his heart might burst while he waited for her to continue. He hated feeling this vulnerable. He could see all the signs and they were all pointing in a _very _good direction but he couldn't breath, couldn't relax, until he heard her say it in her rational matter of fact damnable way that he loved. He'd been trying to read her looks, her words, and her body language for 3 years. He wanted her to hand it to him for a change.

"Seeley, you know how I've always felt about love and marriage." _Great, here she's going to tell me she wants me for sex and nothing more. Another social experiment._ "...with you..." _You could have just kissed her without telling her what you feel, dummy._ "...that day in the diner." He jerked out of his brooding thoughts well aware that he'd missed something important and that it was going to be a helluva challenge to figure out _which _day at the dinner she referred to.

"Nutshell it Bones. I'm dying here." _Good recovery._

"What I'm trying to say is that for nearly 3 years I've been rationalizing you, and us. I've weighed your past, my past, our interactions, your line, our work, and much more. I'm not perfect and neither are you but what we have when we're together feels as close to perfect as I can discover. We don't just complete each other professionally Booth, we do it in every way. I don't like feeling out of control but with you I do and it makes me feel alive. What you said about making love floored me that day in the diner. I've had great sex" _Yeah, that's what I want to think about babe._ "But I've never had that emotional connection, that longing, you speak of. I think...I think I have it with you. When I'm with you I feel complete and when I'm without you all I can think about is the next time my phone will ring, or you'll walk through the door. I can only conclude, Seeley Booth, that I love you"

He suddenly realized that he hadn't breathed in at least 30 seconds and inhaled with a rush, coughing. Once he recovered he looked at her sitting next to him on the couch and was overcome with tenderness, and longing. He pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. But Temperance Brennan would not have tenderness from Seeley, not right now. She dug her nails into his shoulder and darted her tongue into his mouth. He lost himself in her mouth, in the feel of her in his arms. He enjoyed her passion, her desire, he unwillingness to be dominated by him, her giving. He pulled himself away to look at her once again, and smiled tenderly.

"Gifts! We never exchanged them. I'll go first" He got up from the couch with a lurch, already missing her beside him. He went around behind the couch and smiled when he saw his gym bag. "You know, I intended things to go a little differently tonight." He sat the bag on the back of the couch and pulled out the mistletoe, watching her eyes go wide and laughter bubble up. "I was going to be much more suave. Maybe give you a line about how that wasn't a kiss and how I would show you a real one. I would have sounded very macho." He rolled his eyes at her as she continued to laugh so hard she fell off the couch.

She pulled herself off the floor, still giggling, as he came back around the couch with her gift. "You're not easy to shop for, you know. When you need something, you buy it. If you want to visit somewhere, you go, even if it's around the world. You make it really hard for a guy to be romantic and sweet, you know! Brainy Smurf is hard to top and I wanted something with meaning. I hope you don't mind, but Angela helped me with your gift. I told her what I wanted and she made it, she created it."

She smoothed her hands over the simple brown paper and grasped the corner. She pulled back the paper and the laughter bubbled up again. "I love it! I really love it Seeley" Her eyes shone as she looked over the sketch of Wonder Woman and Clark Kent.

"I must confess that Angela had something to do with your gift too. She really is a terrible liar though for once she didn't spill _all _the beans at once. All she would say is that tonight would be important for you and I, that things would change, but she refused to say how. She left me wondering between two possibilities - that our partnership was over, or that it would be changing for the better." She gave him a shy smile. "So I bought you two gifts. One that you could have no matter what happened, and one that was much more _situational_. Here is the first."

She handed him the impossibly tiny red package. He was very intrigued by a present he could have no matter what, whether he severed or escalated their relationship. He opened the package to discover a finely crafted leather banded watch and worked to hide his disappointment until she pointed out the inscription on the back of the watch "To the most honorable man I've ever known. Love, Temperance". His heart ached with love for her and he pulled her close. "Thank you. I love my gift." He kissed her tenderly but quickly, lest she reignite the passion before he could find out about this mysterious second give. "So, what's this other gift you mentioned?"

She looked away shyly, blushing profusely. "Well," she stammered. "I began to think about that second possibility and how long we've known each other and rationalized how much pent up longing there is between us and well I...I'm _wearing _the second gift. I put it on in the bathroom. I was there so long because I...had trouble with the laces."

He had the grace to blush himself and shifted uncomfortably, wishing he had sweats on instead of jeans. He wanted to give into her proposition but he stood firm. He wanted to show her love, true commitment, and then make love to her. He did not want to jump straight to sex. He knew tonight he'd dream of her in sexy lingerie and wondered off-hand what color she'd chosen.

"Bones...I want you to save that second gift. We're going to have a real date first."


	6. Surprise Wrinkle

This is my first fanfic. 6 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

_I promise I won't drag it out too many chapters but it's impossible for everything to go smoothly for Booth and Bones! but then again you never know how well the unintended can turn out...  
_

* * *

Sending her home last night had been one of the hardest things he had ever done but he was determined to show her how committed he was to her, not just how passionate he was _for _her. _I'll show her that soon enough_, he thought, with a satisfied grin. The kiss she gave him as she left filled him with promise and assurance that he was not the only one with passion and longing waiting to be let out. He shifted uncomfortably behind the driver's seat as he considered that.

Booth didn't feel well today and he was starting to realize that it might be something more than just unrequited lust causing it. He felt _achy_. All over. He parked and headed inside the Jeffersonian, knowing the sight of Temperance Brennan and the memories of last night could banish any ill feeling. He made a beeline straight for her office and could hardly suppress his irritation at being waylaid by Cam with case questions. He excused himself as quickly as possible and darted into Temperance's office, shutting the door behind him. At first he didn't notice that she wasn't at her desk but as his eyes adjusted to the dark room he saw her on the couch, asleep. _Hah, maybe leaving bothered her as much as making her leave bothered me._ Then he noticed her reddened nose, the Kleenex on the table and the furrowed brow of troubled sleep. _Uh-oh_.

He sat down next to her and gently touched her shoulder. She opened her eyes slowly and despite her obvious sickness gave him a weak smile. "Hey there," she said weakly, and closed her eyes again.

"Baby, why are you here? You look like you should be home in bed." _And I feel like I should too. We both should._ Visions of tangled sheets and sweaty limbs pushed aside thoughts of the more likely truth for both of them soon - piles of used Kleenex, saltine crackers, and chicken noodle soup. "Up you go, Bones, I'm taking you out of here."

Too weak to protest she forgot everything else and cuddled close to his chest as he grabbed her and her bag and carried her out through the startled stares of her Squint Squad friends. Angela winked at him and Cam's eyes narrowed - those two would be asking questions soon. But right now all he cared about was taking care of Temperance and he knew he probably wouldn't be far behind her. He hoped she'd get better first though. Dreaming of her taking care of him led to a few nice fantasies...

* * *

She dozed fitfully on the way to his apartment. He never intended to take her home. He hoped no one would call her but right now he pushed those implications aside and carried her up to his room. He laid her on his bed, flipping the other half of the comforter over her, and left her to find supplies. He was pretty sure she, and he, were coming down with the flu. Thermometer - check. Saltines - check. Sprite - check. Soup - check. Kleenex - dammit. He went back to check on her and seeing no change decided to duck out and get some tissues. He would get the good kind, with lotion. Nothing but the best for his Bones!

* * *

Seeley was feeling markedly worse as he returned to his apartment. He set the bags of tissues and other supplies down on the counter and grabbed a box to take back to his room. He sat it on the nightstand next to her, pulled the garbage can close and then turned to look at her. _God she's beautiful. And she's in my bed._ Sick. _I'll be there soon too._ Also sick. _God has a twisted sense of humor for the two of us. _

He stripped down to his boxers and put on a pair of flannel pants and a T-shirt, mildly self conscious of their surroundings even though she was unlikely to notice if he grew a second head and new arms. He realized that she could not possibly be comfortable sleeping as she was. She was wearing jeans and a bulky sweater that was twisted around her torso and pulling at her neck. He groaned as he realized he was about to strip Temperance Brennan and the much longed for passionate sex was the last thing likely to happen. He grabbed a second t-shirt out of the drawer and quickly stripped her to her bra and underwear before slipping the shirt over her head. He was not sick enough yet to avoid appreciating her lacy cobalt blue matching set and the undeniably womanly swell above the tops of her bra. _Maybe she was prepared for something to happen soon._ The thought made his chest and his groin tight. It also made him unbelievably happy to think of her looking forward to it too. He smiled down at her and brushed a soft kiss over her lips. He pulled up the covers, deposited her under them and quickly joined her. His arm slid around her and pulled her shivering body into his. She sighed in her sleep and sunk into him, her shivers subsiding as his warmth covered her.

_This feels so damn good_, he thought. _So right._ _God what took us so long. I want to sleep like this, with her, every night. Not just when she's too ill to come up with logical reasons why it's wrong. _Seeley fell asleep, smiling, dreaming of what he would do to her, and with her, next time they were in bed together.

* * *

Seeley woke up, shivering and aching, and missing her. It didn't take him long to realize what had awakened him. He could hear Temperance in the bathroom retching heavily. A few more dry heaves and he heard her flush the toilet and run some water. He was laying facing the opposite direction and as much as he wanted to watch her return his head stopped him. He consented to imagining instead how she would look with her red nose, tired walk and tousled hair. _There are so many better ways to tousle hair._ She padded around to the empty side of the bed and looked down at him. He thought vaguely that she looked better than he had imagined. She paused just a second, with a soft blush as the only acknowledgment of where they were, and laid down, scooting tightly up against him. He wrapped his arm around her, moved his legs closely behind hers, and sensed the smile he couldn't quite see. He needed her warmth now just as much as she needed his. Once again they both fell to sleep with tired bodies and happy hearts.


	7. Unplanned Wonder

This is my first fanfic. 7 chapters are written with more to come. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

_I promise I won't drag it out too many chapters but it's impossible for everything to go smoothly for Booth and Bones! but then again you never know how well the unintended can turn out..._

This chapter is pretty short but the next will likely be much longer. This one is also from her point of view instead of his. I'm undecided which POV the next chapter will use.

* * *

Temperance was thoroughly confused. _So cold. _That was all she could think. _Where am I?_ quickly followed but no answer was apparent. It was dark now and she was in a bed, but not her own. She remembered in a rush. _Seeley. _He had taken her home, but not to her home. _This is his bed. And the man himself is right behind me. _

Her head felt like it was in a vice and the shivers intensified the pain. In her sleep she had flipped onto her stomach and moved away from her heat source. She slowly rolled over and felt to the side of the bed, unsure what she would find. She caught the bedside lamp in her fumbling, nearly knocking it off it's perch. Righting it, she flipped it on and rolled back to look at him.

She could not contain her smile, despite her discomfort. He looked so _adorable_. Seeley was always so strong for her. From saving her life to taking care of her when sick he was always there for her. _His jaw is softer in sleep._ She reached out a hand to run her finger across that jaw and his brow furrowed at the coldness before relaxing again with a fleeting smile. Selfishly she longed to awaken him so she could see the newly unmasked love once again but she pulled back and contented herself with watching him sleep.

She got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up a little and move her stiff limbs. She found an extra toothbrush under the cabinet, still in the wrapper, and used it without a thought. There was no way she was going back in there with sick breath from her last bathroom visit.

He had balled himself up with most of the covers it seemed. No wonder she had awakened so cold. Faced with waking him or freezing to death she reached out and touched his shoulder. "Seeley."

He jerked awake with a start but quickly settled back and smiled at her. "Hey babe," he yawned. "Feeling any better?"

"I'm cold, Seeley. Warm me?" she said as she laid down facing him and threaded her fingers through his.

"Flip over and I will hold you again. It felt good. Scratch that - not good, _great_, perfect," he said with a smile that touched her heart.

She did as he asked and he wrapped himself firmly around her. Neither of them were tired any more and though they were both physically miserable it was becoming rapidly apparent to them both that they were in an _interesting _and very _intimate _situation. The shivering subsided and was gradually overtaken with heat. As his hand stroked her hair she found her voice:

"Seeley, I think I have a better idea..."

* * *

_There is an 'M' rated story which falls in between this chapter and the next. I wrote the next chapter in such a way that you can skip the M interlude and it will still make sense but if you want the read the entire story go check out that one shot before continuing this one. It's titled "Merry Christmas, Booth"._


	8. Afterglow

This is my first fanfic and it's now complete. Please review!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any characters or song lyrics here. But the characters and the non-couple romance both inspire and frustrate me!

This chapter 8 of this entry but technically chapter 9 of the story. **If you want to read the extra chapter it falls between chapters 7 and 8 and it's in a separate entry on this site titled "Merry Christmas, Booth". It's M rated.**

This is the end of this story but possibly not the end of the tale. I could write about this relationship moment by moment but I'll content myself with considering future milestones, maybe a few troubles that any relationship experiences. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!

Note: The story now continues in "Happy New Year, Temperance."

* * *

Seeley and Temperance both woke with a start. It was mid morning if the streaming light meant anything and somewhere a cell phone was ringing. Who's? A hurried search in the living room discovered the intruder was hers and she opened the phone hurriedly. Angela. Great.

"Uh, hi Ange. Yes, yes I'm fine. Yes, we're both sick. Um, no, no need to bring me anything. I'm fine. I should be back very soon. Yes. Booth too. No, no need to come visit me. You'd...just be exposing yourself. You don't need to get sick. Then Hodgins will get sick and it will just spread from there. I'll talk to you soon, I promise." She closed the phone with a snap and gave him a bright smile. "Angela knows something is up but she's being a good and very patient friend until she can pry it out of me. She'll run interference with the others in the meantime though."

Realizing they were both standing in his living room stark naked he went to find his pants and get her his bathrobe. His room was a mess. The sheets were bunched and tangled and there were pieces of clothing strewn around. He liked the sight. Temperance was neat and restrained and she had been nothing like that with him. His head was killing him and his body screamed at him for the physical exertion last night but he would have happily died in her arms. He could think of no better place. He'd set out to show her love, show her what making love meant, but she'd shown him the the same in equal measure.

He sat down on the couch, indicating she should join him. She curled up to his, wrapping her arm around him. They sat in contented silence for a bit until her stomach loudly announced that her fever was gone and her body craved sustenance. It broke the silence and gave her a nudge to speak her thoughts. "Seeley, I...what are we going to tell everyone? What can we tell? What should we say? Do we even need to tell anyone? I mean Angela will read me like a book." _And Cam reads me pretty damn well too_, he thought but pushed it aside.

"We can worry about that soon enough, Bones. Right now you need food, I need to go back to bed and you need to nurse me back to health." He tried to dodge her playful side punch but he was sick and slow and she had a coverage advantage in their position. He flipped her onto her back and kissed her deeply, looking into her eyes. "How else can we keep practicing the love making? I promise not to stop your foreplay assault next time...And then we'll have a date, and more practice and then...forever. All the details imposed by everyone else will fall into place, I promise." He wasn't absolutely sure that they would resolve so smoothly but he could truly say he didn't care. He had her and together the could weather or fight their way out of anything, as long as they were together.


End file.
